


xiuchen colour drabbles

by FluffyFyuu



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: A little bit of everything, Angst, Drabbles, Fluff, M/M, Various AUs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-24
Updated: 2020-03-24
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:27:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 5,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23298544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FluffyFyuu/pseuds/FluffyFyuu
Summary: A series of xiuchen drabbles, based on requests of "colour + two random things".
Relationships: Kim Jongdae | Chen/Kim Minseok | Xiumin
Comments: 9
Kudos: 8





	1. sky blue + vanilla, fresh linen

White linen sways in a gentle spring breeze.

The sheets are freshly washed and drying on the clothesline, their light colour a stark contrast against the bright blue sky. There are no clouds to answer the white cotton’s call, only the sun shines down to grace earth with warmth after all those dark winter months.

A fresh lemon scent wafts through the air, intensifying a bit whenever a strong gust of wind brushes through the linen and lets the white cotton sway together in an intimate dance. Bird’s songs can be heard and their melodies speak of newborn hope and flowers awakening after their too long sleep.

In the middle of it all, lost in their own world - Minseok and Jongdae.

They lie on a blanket, with Minseok gazing up at the sky and Jongdae’s head resting atop his chest. Their legs entangled and hands intertwined, no words are spoken yet soft affection fills the air between them.

A gentle sigh leaves Minseok’s lips and his gaze wanders from one sun to another, but instead of seeing the bright blue sky his sight falls upon soft tufts of brown hair. He nuzzles into them, closing his eyes and his next inhale is filled with a familiar and soothing fragrance of vanilla and cinnamon. Another sigh, silent beneath the spring’s orchestra of bird’s song and the occasional fluttering of the sheets swaying in the wind.

His eyes stay closed, content and relaxed with his love in his arms and the tranquility surrounding them. For a few minutes, Minseok feels like he’s weighing nothing - heart and mind free yet full of warmth. He would never let go of Jongdae, but the other shifts a bit so Minseok has to adjust his arm. A soft whine escapes his lips when Jongdae slips his fingers out of Minseok’s grasp. Jongdae chuckles softly, the sound tickling where their chests touch and Minseok would chase the other’s hand, but Jongdae starts to draw lines onto Minseok’s shirt with it. 

The touch is soft while the lines travel higher and it has his heart thump away under Jongdae’s fingertips. No matter how often they are close like this, Jongdae’s presence never fails to cause Minseok’s heart to swell with devotion and adoration. And when Jongdae shifts lower, tipping his head back to gaze up at Minseok - he knows that the same love beats within Jongdae’s chest as well.


	2. yellow + frisbee, garden hose

Minseok should have known something unusual would happen. But his dog is as enthusiastic as ever, chasing that yellow frisbee in the back of his garden like they do so often during the summer. The sun’s rays are bright this afternoon, but not piercing to his eyes - rather lighting the world in a youthful glow. At least Minseok feels young again when he sees Baecon shuffle his way back to him across the green grass, frisbee between his teeth and eyes sparkling. His dog’s energy seems to jump over into his own body when he frees the toy from Baecon’s grip, because there is a big grin on Minseok’s lips.

With pure energy running through his veins, Minseok’s next throw is a bit too strong, a bit too eager and he can only follow the frisbee with his eyes, when it flies further than Baecon’s short legs can carry him. It passes the fence, floating further into his neighbour’s garden and when Minseok loses the toy out of sight -

“Ow!”

Minseok winces. Embarrassed, he hurries to the fence to apologize - but stops when he realizes the voice was unfamiliar and male. His neighbour is a nice old lady, with two cats who Baecon loves to chase and bark at. His steps are careful now, mistrust pulls his eyebrows into a frown while he gets closer. There’s nothing disconcerting at first glance, but when Minseok leans above the fence to look behind a hedge and he almost chokes on his breath.

There’s a man, clad in a yellow shirt and jeans, with a garden hose in one hand and the other rubbing his head. His gorgeous face is distorted into a light grimace, one of his cheeks plush and rounded with how his lips are pulled to one side - revealing a slight dimple. Minseok doesn’t know what to marvel about first: the adorable cheek with a dimple, the enticing upturned edges of the lips or the cute tilt of straight eyebrows.

His staring is interrupted by Baecon barking next to him, causing the stranger to flinch. Big brown eyes look at Minseok and despite the surprise, there’s a depth in them that has Minseok’s heart stutter and he avoids his gaze. It lands on the puddle collecting beneath the man’s feet due to him not moving the garden hose. The other seems to notice the same thing, he lifts the hose to another plant and clears his throat. Minseok’s gaze flits up fast enough to witness a prominent Adam’s apple bob with a gulp, before the man’s face relaxes and he speaks.

“Uh, I guess you’re the neighbour Mrs. Jung told me about - eh, Kim Minseok?” Minseok only nods, too stunned by long eyelashes and warm eyes looking at him. “Well, I better introduce myself then.” The man’s already upturned lips stretch into a genuine smile - robbing Minseok of any air in his lungs. “I’m Kim Jongdae, I take care of Mrs. Jung’s house while she’s on cure vacation. We’ll probably see each other from time to time the next few weeks.”

Now Minseok’s the one gulping, eyes spotting endearing moles and his heart is beating with anticipation.


	3. red + cake, studio

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: mentions of blood

There is a certain atmosphere in office buildings, especially when they are as empty as this one is now. Nobody should be in there, Jongdae checked it - even though it doesn’t help with the eerie aura of empty hallways. But at least there’s no blood, Jongdae had enough of that in the supermarket he was at yesterday.

It doesn’t mean he’s spared of the sight of red though, the next hallway he enters is dark and when he shines his torch to the wall - the hallway turns crimson. Jongdae frowns, previous inhabitants apparently thought it would be a good idea to cover the walls with red fabric. It’s weird and despite having to hop from building to building and searching for anything useful in the last years, Jongdae hasn’t encountered such a collection of linen, clothes and blankets before.

His initial reason to raid the office was in hope to find any technology he could use to fix his computer, but he can’t ignore this much fabric - it wouldn’t hurt to have another shirt for when it gets colder or a different sheet for his rundown bed in his even shabbier hideout. Urged by the thought of sleeping in a cleaner bed, Jongdae detaches a piece of linen from the wall. But his shoulders tense just a moment later, when a door is revealed. It’s grey, discreet despite the slanted lettering of “Studio”. Ears strained to listen for any indication that he’s not as alone as he thought - Jongdae opens the door.

A quick check proves the room’s walls are bare, there’s a table but no chair. He would have left the room, because there is not a single trace of technology but his eyes spot a reflection of his torch’s light on the table. Curious, he steps into the room and gets closer to the reflection, which stems from a picture frame. It’s heavy when he lifts it, the glass clear and not cracked and the picture shows -

Jongdae’s heart stutters.

Plush lips stretched into a gummy smile, adorable cheeks and eyes scrunching into thin lines - eyes, which would have a feline look when opened and exuding warmth. He recognizes the hair, even though it is dyed a different colour and the slanted nose is so incredibly familiar …  _ Minseok _ .

Tears spring to his eyes without him noticing, while a lump forms in his throat at the sight of his hyung. Jongdae stares at the other’s face for a few heavy heartbeats, before he realizes that Minseok is holding something in the picture. It’s a cake, with red icing and a few candles on top.

It reminds him of days long gone. Of a time where happiness shone bright in the sky, when he still believed in rosy love and the goodness of people. Minseok got him such a birthday cake as well, but Jongdae knows, this picture was taken after their ways separated. After the depth between them grew shallow, emptiness and unspoken words replaced intimacy and declarations of love. It hurts to think of it, of the past - so Jongdae forces himself to refocus to the present and he frowns.

Why is a picture of Minseok in this room?


	4. neon pink + dagger, blueberry muffin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: murder, blood, nightmare

Bass shakes the walls of the hallway, rattling a few frames with pseudo philosophical quotes. Behind those shallow walls, drunken people sway to music while their bodies sweat under artificial lighting. The same bright light pierces his eyes now, illuminating the hallway and its frames in a haunting neon pink colour - but it flickers in an eerie way every few seconds. The club is shabby, located somewhere in the black parts of the city and it’s exactly what Minseok needs.

This way, nobody asks questions when he shoves someone against the wall. 

The guy’s head slams against a frame, groaning when it cracks the glass. Minseok doesn’t show any sympathy - there’s not an ounce of regret when he tightens his grip on the other’s shirt, almost strangling him. Prominent eyebrows are pulled together in pain, highlighted by stark shadows tinted pink.

“Tell me where the codes are.”

A groan.

“The codes, now.”

Minseok’s voice doesn’t waver. The guy opens his eyes, staring back at him and Minseok meets his gaze with ice in his veins. The light flickers and Minseok pulls at the shirt, eliciting a choked breath of air.

“A-at the docks- the docks!”

He raises an eyebrow.

“I-I swear, Jilsung, he’s at the docks! He has the codes! Please, I-I swear, please let me-”

A dagger cuts the guy’s words, slicing through his throat and spilling out a gush of blood. Minseok leans to the side to avoid the splatters of red and cleans his dagger on the other’s shirt with a disgusted grimace, letting go of the body afterwards. It slumbs down and blood seeps on to the dusty floor, creating a small puddle - the light flickers only to colour the room neon pink a second later once more. It reflects on the wet surface and fills the hallway with a gruesome atmosphere.

But Minseok already turned around, paying no attention to the motionless body highlighted in pink. His job here is finished and he wants nothing more than to report to the headquarters. Then, nothing is going to keep him from going home - from opening the door to his flat to hear  _ clink  _ and  _ clanks  _ from the kitchen, from following the sounds and hugging his husband’s tiny waist. He can’t wait to hear that sweet laughter and Minseok hopes, that Jongdae didn’t burn the blueberry muffins again.

* * *

“P-please, no!”

A crack, followed by a scream.

“N-no-” A choked cry. “Let him go, he’s innocent! I killed him, it’s me who you want, shit, don’t-”

Another scream, this time ending abruptly and the sight of a motionless body stops his heartbeat.

“No!”

Minseok awakes with a start, heart thumping fast and skin sweaty. His eyes dart around, shadows of blood and pain tinting his vision red. But there are only shelves filled with books, a wardrobe and Jongdae. Shit,  _ Jongdae- _

His gaze snaps to his right side, breath hitching when he sees that familiar mop of brown hair resting atop his chest. With the sight, Minseok starts to become aware of the accompanying weight and warmth of Jongdae’s body, curled into his side. It helps to calm his heartbeat, while he drinks in the curve of an angular shoulder and how it rises and falls with each breath of his husband.

Minseok tries to follow the rhythm of ‘in and out’ with his own breathing, but his lungs feel so tight and he shuffles a bit to do  _ something  _ \- but his shirt doesn’t stretch enough and restrains his movement. A glance past Jongdae’s head shows why, one of his tiny hands is gripping Minseok’s shirt tightly. Tears spring into his eyes at the sight, Jongdae holding onto him and sleeping close … 

Minseok doesn’t want this to end, yet he doesn’t deserve it. Because he is a danger to Jongdae and will always be.

There will always be a possibility of his nightmares becoming reality, of losing Jongdae one way or another - because he’s done terrible things. Being someone like him … Minseok robbed, kidnapped and murdered without a twitch of his eyelashes, just to report to the headquarters and return home to Jongdae. All these lives he brought to an end, all the pain he caused … one day it all will come back to him.

It’s out of his control and it terrifies Minseok. It has him savour the feeling of Jongdae cuddling into him, ingraining the sight of his husband’s body wrapped in a blanket into his mind. Memories of their time together keep his heart alive, while tears slide down his cheeks in a silent outbreak of fear. Mind overrun by hazy thoughts, Minseok leans forward, his face naturally finds its way to Jongdae’s neck and he inhales a shaky breath, treasuring the soothing scent of vanilla and cinnamon.

He doesn’t want to lose Jongdae. He wants to keep him close forever, to keep laughing about his failed muffins and to keep kissing those curled lips until Jongdae’s too breathless to moan. But right now, everything they’ve got is the present and Minseok cherishes every moment spent together, loving Jongdae like he deserves until their time runs out.


	5. lilac + coffee cup, orchid

Wherever Jongdae looks he spots something lilac - be it a curtain, a napkin or the head accessoire of the bride. It’s pretty, gentle and fresh - fitting for the spring. The noise of people talking fills the air, a happy atmosphere exuding from all those smiles and Jongdae takes a deep breath. An energetic scent permeates the air, happiness sprinkled with a warm undertone of love. He smiles, this wedding is great!

Everybody is clad in a fancy outfit. Next to him, Junmyeon is wearing a classic black suit and Jongdae knows, his own looks just as shiny - only with a hole for his tail,  _ finally _ . At the last wedding, Jongdae complained about the lack of such an adjustment for his tail, whining about it being squashed to his guardian the whole evening. Said tail is swishing from side to side now, while Jongdae pouts at his empty plate. Food will be served soon, so everybody is seated and talking about the beautiful wedding ceremony. But Jongdae isn’t interested in such talk right now, his eyebrows shoot up - his attention focused on something else in front of him.

What a cute coffee cup.

Jongdae can’t suppress a chuckle when he tries to lift the cup. It’s so incredibly  _ tiny _ ! His index finger doesn’t even fit into the handle! Another chuckle, turning into a giggle when he sneaks his pinky through it instead. His ears twitch in amusement, his paws aren’t that big (Jongdae’s friends love to remind him of his little sweater paws) - how must it be for a human with bigger hands? Taking a closer look at the cup, Jongdae’s whiskers tremble in astonishment at the intricate design. So many little flowers! If he thought the cup was small, those drawings are even tinier. Delicate lilac coloured flowers cover the porcelain, Jongdae recognizes orchids and pansies and-

A chuckle interrupts his wonder and Jongdae’s ears swivel into its direction, eyes following.

At the next table, a man meets his gaze with his plush lips curled in amusement. Jongdae’s eyebrows tilt at the sight of feline eyes sparkling at him and they rise higher when he doesn’t spot any sign of the other being a hybrid. A human with such sharp, feline eyes?  _ Enticing _ .

The other grins, interrupting Jongdae’s thoughts by raising his own coffee cup - his fingers gripping the handle instead of poking one through the hole. Jongdae’s whiskers shake, the human obviously caught him staring at the cup and is making fun of him now. His eyes narrow and he has to suppress a hiss, curling his lips instead. The man’s sharp eyes grow wide and he puts the cup down again, shaking his head with an apologetic expression. It’s cute how those round cheeks redden and the other looks so  _ flustered _ , Jongdae’s irritation vanishes as fast as it came. It is replaced by another urge,  _ something more fun _ .

He sends the man a smile to signal him everything is alright (read: to give him a false sense of security) and maybe it turns a bit too sharp when the other answers with his own gummy smile. Jongdae’s stomach grumbles at the sight, but the food is served soon, right?


	6. moss green + cat, lily of the valley

The grass is soft beneath his paws, all that dark moss between the fragile blades of green cushions his every step. With his ears swiveling around to listen for any suspicious sound, Minseok makes his way through the forest.

It’s his first time to explore so far, to enter the forest deep into its core - where light dances through the leaves and shadow answers its ancient song. He didn’t see any other animal besides birds since he passed that lake and it should be alarming, but he’s not thinking any longer - his senses took over. Because there’s an enticingly sweet scent lingering between the trees. Minseok has been following it for at least thirty minutes by now, mouth opened to enhance his sense and get a better taste of that sugary scent. It leads him through the trees and bushes, deeper and deeper into the forest. Then, his ears swivel into one direction and his body freezes when he hears it. 

A laughter as sweet as the fragrance he’s been following.

Slowing his steps, Minseok follows the sound of it - passing mushrooms and more dark moss. He stills for a second when the voice stops, but only a moment later he can hear it again. But this time, it is  _ singing _ . It’s singing a song so melodious, it feels like honey to his ears and Minseok has to suppress an enraptured whine. He follows, paws moving on their own will until he’s at the edge of a meadow.

His eyes fall upon a being so beautiful, Minseok knows, he needs to protect them.

They are tiny, but look like his human back at home. He can make out a body covered in a dark green cloth, looking like it’s made of small leaves which are bound at the being’s wrists to expose even tinier hands. They are stretched out upwards to reach for a collection of lilies of the valley, while the being swing on their short legs, head tilted backwards. Under a white lily blossom hat, too big for their tiny head, Minseok catches a glimpse of upturned lips curling to emit that honeyed voice.

The sight wakes a yearning in Minseok’s heart, an urge to join that beautiful being and his sugary song. So he steps onto the meadow and into a different world, because suddenly the light brightens and that sweet, sweet fragrance intensifies and makes his head fuzzy. But then, the being notices his presence - song silenced and their tiny body frozen.

_ No _ , Minseok thinks,  _ please, keep singing! _

But before he can show the being he means no harm, they tilt their head to look up at him and  _ laugh _ . They send him the brightest smile he’s ever seen - rivaling the sun herself and filling the air with that sweet honey again. One of their tiny hands covers their curled lips, until it quietens again and they speak.

“As you wish~”

And they begin another song.


	7. peach + car, socks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't sit like Jongdae does, it's really dangerous! Keep your feet down, guys.

The radio plays a soft song, gentle guitar notes wafting through the air. Minseok taps his fingertips onto the steering wheel in time with the slow rhythm, smiling when Jongdae hums in harmony. The outside world flits past their windows, blurring into a soft background while the street flies away beneath the car’s wheels. Somewhere to their left, the sun is almost kissing the horizon in their daily embrace to comfort the earth to sleep. It tints everything in a peachy light, gentle rays caressing every surface.

Next to Minseok, Jongdae seems just as calm - his feet are clad in fuzzy socks, resting on the car’s dashboard while his head is leaning against the window. A glance at him proves his eyes to be closed and Minseok smiles. 

His boyfriend looks so  _ soft _ . 

Illuminated by the soft orange of the sunset, his skin seems to emit magical glow. Brown tufts of hair fall into his eyes, kittenish lips opened to sing along to the song and his small hands relaxed in his lap, keeping a careful hold of a flower that Minseok gifted him a few hours ago. The sight of his tiny fingers curled around the delicate stem has Minseok’s heart flutter with adoration. 

The song builds up into a gleeful melody, guitar riffs touching something deep inside of him and the music baths them in a wave of happiness. Jongdae’s voice gets brighter as well, yet it holds a gentleness, a tune of warmth, that Minseok can’t help but smile. He could watch and listen to Jongdae every second of his life and yet he would not tire to admire him.

But with reluctance, Minseok’s gaze wanders back to the street - meeting the glimmer of the evening sun drawing hazy shapes upon the horizon. Pastel shades of peach and orange colour the asphalt and the surrounding landscape, creating an ethereal aura of peacefulness. It feels as if time has stopped for the sun to cover them all in a blanket of motherly love, calming and soothing.

With her gentle rays warming their skin, the world blurring past them - leaving them in their own little universe, their own space in time … a profound feeling of happiness spreads in his chest and settles in his bones and Minseok hopes this will never end.

Another glance at Jongdae and brown eyes meet his, sparkling in the evening sunlight. They smile at each other, soft emotions between them with no need to be voiced - because they know. This is where they want to be, right here, right now, together.


	8. carolina blue + crown, bouquet

Minseok has been waiting at the rock for an hour already, even though he knows what he’s waiting for won’t be there until the afternoon. But these last days, when the sun starts her journey to meet the horizon and the water shimmers in her afternoon light, Minseok ignores his princely duties to find his way to the shore to wait and watch. So, with his tail swishing to keep him afloat, he hides behind a rock only to glance past it to check - but the beach is just as empty as it was a few minutes ago. He pouts and sinks lower into the water, blowing some bubbles to pass the time. 

Then, the sound of crunching sand reaches his ears, muffled through the water. Minseok almost chokes on his breath in excitement, the water splashes when he breaks the surface and peeks past the stone, his abrupt movement causing his crown to slip and he fixes it absentmindedly. His attention is completely focused on the beach, on the being he waited for - a human.

Based on the pictures in his books, it must be a male and in Minseok’s humble opinion, he’s a very handsome one. Besides those interesting ‘legs’, he has curled, black hair that falls in front of round eyes and a face with cheekbones so high, they sing to Minseok to touch them. His heart beats fast at the sight of the human, but his admiration is cut short when said human steps unusually close to the sea, until the end of his legs get wet and Minseok has to hide himself further behind the rock.

But the human’s attention is not set on the sea, he sits down onto the sand and stares at his hands. Minseok’s eyebrows shoot up when he spots something new in the other’s hold. It looks like those so called ‘flowers’, many tiny blossoms in a gentle blue colour and before he can try to mentally compare them to the pictures in his books, the human starts to rip them out.

Surprised and stunned, Minseok’s lips part in confusion. He watches the petals float on the rolling waves of the sea, their gentle blue colour darkening the second they touch the wet surface. It’s a marvelous sight, how those tiny blue dots move in harmony with the waves. But it doesn’t look peaceful, something tugs at his heart and when he lifts his gaze to look at the human again, his eyes widen.

The human’s face is distorted in a grimace and his curled lips are moving, but Minseok can’t hear what he’s saying and he freezes when he spots the tears shining on those high cheekbones. It breaks Minseok’s heart to see him cry, there’s a deep ache in his chest and without thinking, he swims forward.


	9. mauve + notebook, totebag

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: mentions of criminal actions

Minseok doesn’t even know why he took it with him. It was just a simple robbery, scaring the cashier with his gun while the shop was surprisingly empty. Quick and easy, but when his eyes spotted the notebook in a desolate corner of the coffee shop - something within him urged him to put it into his bag as well. Now back in his hideout, the notebook is heavy in his hand when he opens it. Its paper is a bleak and withered grey with wrinkled edges, there’s no name on the front page. But when Minseok scrolls through the notebook, the pages are filled with handwriting and occasional doodles. Curious, he stops somewhere in the middle and starts reading.

_ Spring is in full bloom! Finally, all those dark winter months are gone. They planted new flowers outside today, their colour looks so gentle … I would call it grey purple, but I can imagine a fashionable person might call it mauve or something similar fancy, but as Sehun said - I’m definitely not. _

A diary of someone admiring flowers is strangely entertaining, but something about it confuses Minseok. There are no dates and when he looks down - the entry is only signed with a smiley. It looks like a cat with curled lips and tilted eyebrows, the lines a bit sloppy but endearing nonetheless. It intrigues Minseok to turn the page and keep reading. His eyebrows rise high, the next page is filled with various sentences and words scribbled all over the place.

_ I wish for you to be at peace // Beautiful // April // Even when it flows from you // The yearning that ... _

Are these lyrics? It looks that way and they sound so gentle. Minseok finds himself reading and reading, marveling at the pure words, soothing images and bright descriptions. It’s refreshing and a colourful contrast to his own life … Minseok winces at the thought and turns to a page further in the back.

_ I found a kitten! A tiny, little cute kitten with black ears and white paws, so cute! I found it when the strap of my totebag ripped and when I leaned down to pick up my groceries, I heard it meowing. So, I might have just taken it with me? I hope it doesn’t belong to anyone, but it looks so thin and I want to make sure it’s healthy. I can already hear Baek … “Chen, you can’t just pick up a stray cat and take it with you!” Well, watch me! _

Minseok chuckles, the usual smiley at the end is joined by another smaller one with added whiskers. His lips stretch into a grin when he realizes he’s got a name - Chen. So, it’s a guy and based on his words, a pretty cute guy. Sadly, Minseok hasn’t heard that name before, but he recognizes ‘Baek’. Could it be the same Baekhyun he knows? That eccentrical information dealer? 

His grin broadens, he won’t let the chance to meet Chen and give back his notebook slip through his fingers, so Minseok decides to arrange a meeting with Baekhyun. Hopefully he can help him to find this Chen, the guy who admires pretty flowers, writes lyrics and saves little kittens. Chen, who managed to touch something in Minseok’s tainted heart with his words and that endearing smiley.


	10. orange + coffee, shoes

When Jongdae wakes up, the first thing he notices is that the air is very warm and stuffy. There’s a heavy feeling on his tongue and his hands are sweaty, gripping something. His eyelids don’t want to move yet and a deep breath filled with a musky scent has him smile, surging forward to search for - ah, Minseok.

Jongdae’s forehead touches a shirt, probably the other’s arm or back and he sighs, cuddling closer. His movement elicits a groan from Minseok and Jongdae chuckles. He waits another heartbeat before his eyes are willing to open, meeting Minseok’s shoulders clad in a cute cat pyjama. The sight has a warmth bloom in Jongdae’s chest, but it also reminds him of how stuffy and warm it is in their tent.

So he forces himself to roll around with a groan, to sit up in his sleeping bag. One of his hands comes up to rub at his eyes and when he opens them again, Jongdae realizes how the inside of their tent is coloured orange by the morning sun. She shines directly onto their tarp, which is probably another reason why the air is so stuffy. It’s a pretty sight, the bright veil of orange creates a gleeful energy within Jongdae, his lips curl and he feels ready to welcome a new day.

But Minseok apparently doesn’t, a glance at him shows that he turned around a bit - only to meet Jongdae’s gaze with sleep in his eyes. He’s cute, with his black hair ruffled and cheeks coloured a gentle red hue. Jongdae smiles with adoration in his heart, he knows his hyung needs some time to wake up. 

Time and coffee.

And because Jongdae is a good boyfriend, he slips out of his sleeping bag to reach for his belongings and slip into his shoes to leave the tent. The morning sun embraces him the second he’s outside, surrounding him with a comfortable warmth while he changes out of his pyjamas, freshens up. When Jongdae returns to the tent, the sun reflects off the tarp creating an orange glow. His feet lead him to their camping stove and Jongdae starts to prepare it to heat some water to make coffee for his hyung.

When it’s ready, the kettle rattles because of the boiling water and Jongdae readies the french press set to pour the water into the beaker. Just as he lifts the kettle, arms sneak around his shoulders and a nose nudges his neck. The sudden contact has Jongdae tighten his grip on the kettle’s handle.

“Careful, hyung.”

“‘m sorry, good morning, Dae …”

The sleepy murmur is hot against his ear and Jongdae’s heart stutters. He smiles.

“Good morning, Min.”


	11. turquoise + jacket, card

Nervous, Jongdae is definitely nervous. His eyes flit from the entrance of the hallway to the door every few seconds, his breathing strained and hands clutching his bag. There’s a constant pressure on his chest, heart beating fast and it starts to get really warm in his jacket. Or well, it’s not his jacket - it’s Minseok’s team jacket. But still, Jongdae’s getting uncomfortable.

The door handle clinks and Jongdae’s head snaps around, only to widen his eyes at the sight of Minseok in his casual clothes, sports bag thrown across one shoulder. His hair is still a bit wet, a bit ruffled in a way that has Jongdae’s hands twitch. The other’s face is turned to look inside, calling a “Goodbye!” into the locker room. When he turns around, Jongdae is able to catch the exact moment of Minseok noticing him - his steps halt, eyebrows scrunching first in confusion, then surprise. Jongdae sends him a tentative smile but it’s met with Minseok’s lips forming a tense line and Jongdae’s stomach drops as well as his smile.

“Oh no, did you lose?” Jongdae grips his bag tighter. “I’m sorry that I wasn’t there! I couldn’t sneak out before mum left and-”

“You shouldn’t sneak out at all.” Minseok steps closer, his expression less tensed and there’s a worried warmth in his eyes. “You’re sick, you shouldn’t leave your house to begin with.”

“But …” Jongdae inhales a stuttered breath, almost coughing. He rummages in his bag, revealing a small card with turquoise lettering. “But I made you a good luck card! I wanted to give it to you before the game, but uh, yeah …” He clears his throat and shoves the card into Minseok’s hands, averting his gaze. “I’m sorry for not being here to cheer for you, hyung.”

“Dae …” A sigh. “You shouldn’t have come, what if it gets worse?” 

Jongdae’s heart stings at the words and he doesn't dare to raise his gaze, staring at his feet instead and fidgeting with his bag. Another sigh.

“Thank you for the card, just … I’m not mad that you weren’t here. We didn’t lose, don’t worry.” Minseok’s voice sounds calmer. “But please don’t sneak out again.” 

Jongdae winces and his face heats in shame. There’s some crinkling, the sound of a zipper and then Minseok’s hand appears in his vision - holding another card, ‘ _ get well soon _ ’ written in Minseok’s neat handwriting with a bright turquoise colour. Jongdae’s eyes grow wide.

“I wanted to visit you after the game to give you the card, but … yeah.” Stunned, Jongdae looks at Minseok’s face and sees his cheeks redden with his lips stretched into a small smile. “So I guess we’re even. Now, let me take you home, okay?”


End file.
